Art of compressing fluid



Dec. 18, 1945. s. E. JESSUP ART OF COMPRESSING FLUID Filed June 15, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l INV ENTOR. I -5eZZer5E fissz Patented Dec. 18, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,391,163 ART or COMPRESSING FLUID I SellersE. Jessup, Los A geles, Calif.

Application June 15-, 1943,. Serial No, 490 .841

3 Claims.

My inventi n relat s to improvements in the art of compressin fluid and more particu arly to th class. of fluid compres rs which is generally lthough not exclusi ely e ployed for compressins all. gas and other fl ids and mixtures thereof. This a plicat on is a conti uat on in part or my ompanion appl ation, Serial Number 395,162, filed May 26. 1.9 1., now atent. No. 2,327,269,

ranted August l7. 1.9.4.3,v and is a continuation in part; f mil-com anion appli a n. Serial Number 14325. filed February 2. 1943, the subject matter ofthe present application being directed to the togglejargangement for operating the compressor piston and eans in unction with the toggle for controlling the exhaust from the compressor, toloest suit. the operation oi an in rnal c mbus- 719 en ine with which he compressor may be ssocia ed. r to best suit any other requirements forswhioh he c mpressor is adapted to be used.

It is a major object of the present invention to matically by th controlled check valve and by the. compressor piston when the adjusting means is regulated to produce substantially maximum clearance space between the check valve. and the upper end of the compressor piston.

. In the drawings, I have shown my improved. compressor associated with a typical internal .combustionengine but theuse of the compressor. is not to. be restricted thereby, it being understood that. it, may be used for any purpose desired. However it is adapted when associated with an internal.

combustion engine to provide the discharge oi controlled fluid exhaust into its combustion champroduce any r a maximum. of; fluid pressure over an extended. period with a minimum of power, thus tendin oward grea er con my and ving in expense. of operation. A. further object. is to provide. means. for varying the compressed. fuel mixture, w ereby the heat of compression can be more effectively employed. resulting in. greater economy and eihciency: A further object is to best'serve the requirements of any compressed luid mediumv for which the compressor is ems. ployed, Among still further objects are. greater emciency. durability and simplicity of construe.- tion. To these ends my invention comprises the features. of: construction and combination of parts hereinaiterdescribed and claimed.

Inthe. drawin s forming part of. this specification. Fig. 1 is a vertical central section of my improved fluid compressor which is oireciprocable piston. and cylinder type, the piston being shown. as it approaches fully fluid compression position ncarthe inner end. of its compr ssi n str k t flu d pressure controlled check valve being'showh in wlde open position; Fig. 2 is aside elevationof: a detail showing theoperatinghandle of the tog le adiustmentpin position assumed by. thecompressor piston shown in. Figs. 1 and 4; Fig. 3 is a section of a detail of the tog le adjustment as-shown in igs. 1;. and 2.: Fig.4 is, a schematic view showing th position. assumed autom y by the controlled; check valve, and by the compressor piston when, the adjusting. means is regulated. to normallv produce substantially no clearance space lictweenthecheck valve and the upperend or the compressor piston. and Fi 5. is. another schematic view showing. the, positi n. assumed auto.-

her with highly beneficial results. A indicates. the, cylinderof my improved compressor. Bthe piston which is reoiprocable. in said cylinder,,C a toggle lever arrangement by which the piston is reciprocated and D a suitable drive by which the toggle. levers are flexed through converting rotary mo.- tion into reciprocating motion. The coactlngcylinder and piston produce a fluid compression chamber having a fluid fuel ingress port to, through. theside of the cylinder and a. compressed fluid exhaust port II at the upper end of the cylinder leading into the, combustion chamber of the engine. pressed is adapted to be in the form of a mixture of air and vapor or gas, which is admitted through the ingress port In from a suitable carburettor E, the Ope ing and closing of the ingress port being controlled by the reciprocable movement of the. piston. The ingress port is positioned so that, near the inner end of theintake stroke of the piston it is fully opened and a full charge of fuel mixture is initially admitted into and maintained in the compression chamber and when the piston reverses and moves forwardly during its compres.- sion stroke the port It] is closed automatically.

A typicalinternal combustion engine of four cycle type is shown in conjunction with the com-1 pressor, in which. F is the cylinder, joined with the supporting housing l2 of the compressor and. G is its reciprocable piston. The latter is driven.

The compressor cylinder A is extended upwardly and isofincreased diameter to provide a cylin drical valve chamber 20, the latter being closed bya cover platev 2.1. A check valve-oi float piston type 15. arranged coaxially with and isof greater.

As shown, the fluid which is comchamber of the engine.

diameter than the diameter of the piston B in the compression chamber of the compressor and closes downwardly upon the annular downwardly tapering valve seat 22. This seat is arranged at the junction between the compression cylinder A and the cylindrical wall of the valve chamber 20 and has an annular channel 23, adjacent to and connected with the upper portion of the combustion chamber in the cylinder F of the engine by the port passage l l. The piston check valve H is thus of floating type and reciprocates freely. By constructing valve H larger in diameter than the cylinder A of the compressor, -a comparatively large valve seat area is provided whereby a very slight reciprocable opening and closing movement is necessary for discharging the compressed fluid through the restricted port passage 1 l and closing of the valve. In practice a compressor employing a fluid compressing cylinder six inches in diameter has required less than one thirty second of an inch opening movement.

- The valve chamber 24 containing the return check valve H is connected with the forward end of the combustion chamber of engine cylinder F by a duct 25, which latter is controlled by the ball check valve 26 and admits fluid while under suflicient compression in the combustion chamber of the engine into the valve chamber 24 above the check valve H, thus urging and main taining the check valve H closed during the return intake stroke of the compression piston B. Closing movement of the check valve H is also augmented by the negative force of suction caused by the compression piston so that a quick and dependable closing function of said valve prevails. The compressed fluid admitted automatically into the valve chamber 24 from cylinder F also acts as a cushioning medium for valve H, during its opening movement.

The force of compression of fluid back of valve H tends to hold the valve closed during the compression stroke of the piston B until sufiicient force of compression by piston B overcomes such opposed force, whereupon valve H opens and admits the compressed charge into the combustion The pressure of fluid maintained in the valve chamber 24 against the check valve H thus serves to assist in automatically controlling the exhaust or egress of compressed fluid from the compression chamber of the compressor into the combustion chamber of the engine as will be hereinafter described.

The piston B of the compressor is reciprocated in the cylinder A through the medium of toggle C, which together with the crank shaft [3 are contained in the supporting housing l2, said housing being part of the compressor cylinder structure. The toggle C consists of a pair of lower fulcrum and upper toggle arms 30 and 3|, which are flexed and expanded and pivotally connected between their inner ends and to the outer end of the drive connecting rod 32 by the pintle 33. The outer end of the toggle arm 3! i pivotally connected with piston B by the pivot pin 34 while the outer end of the toggle arm 30 is adjustably fulcrumed upon the supporting housing.

l2 through the medium of a cam 35, which is journaledby the cam shaft 36 in any suitable the clearance space thus provided by the piston B in cylinder A blow valve H in cooperation with said valve assists in regulating and controlling the pressure of fluid medium discharged into the combustion chamber of the engine. The manually operable lever 31 swings over the lock ring 38, which is concentric with the axis of the cam shaft 36 and fixed on the side of the housing. Said operating lever can be locked in any selected adjustable position by the removable lock pin 44, which is insertable in any one of the suitably spaced holes 39 in the lock ring. When it is desired to regulate the stroke of the compression piston B to control the exhaust of compressed fluid medium through toggle levers D, the same may be accomplished by swinging the operating lever 31 and rotating the cam 35. Thus the toggle is adjusted longitudinally of the cylinder A without changing the initial volume of fluid which-is admitted into the combustion chamber F, and whereby the compression of the charge of fluid is regulated and varied in the compression chamber to suit requirements so that the force of combustion is applied most advantageously at the initial starting of the power stroke of the engine and continuing thereafter for a considerable period. In this manner highly efficient results and a maximum of power are produced from a minimum quantity of fuel. This adjustment provides means for regulating the clearance space below compression check valve H and the admission of a fixed constant volume of fuel mixture which is admitted into the combustion chamber to produce any ultimate compression of the mixture charge desired, or if desired the entire admission of fuel mixture may be checked to enable the engine to idle. In the latter operation the check valve H closes the admission orifice automatically.

In Figure 4 the compressor piston B and toggle C are shown adjusted in maximum upper position when no clearance space is provided and the admission valve H is open as during the intake stroke of the engine piston G. In Fig. 5 the compressor piston B and toggle C are shown adjusted in lowermost position when maximum clearance space is provided and. the admission duct H is closed automatically by the admission valve B during the compression stroke of the engine piston G. Any intermediate adjustment to vary the compression may be provided. It will be noted that the toggle also performs the function of prolonging the compression and delivery of fuel mixture and while the port II is sufliciently restricted to cooperate and assist in regulating the feed of the compressed fuel mixture it may not be restricted when desired and the prolonged functioning of the discharge accomplished.

The toggle C is shown driven through'the connecting rod 32 by the crank shaft 40, which is journaled in the housing l2 and in turn driven by the'driven sprocket 4| chain belt 42 and drive sprocket 43, the latter being driven by the crank shaft l3 of the engine. The relative diameter of the two sprockets 4| and 43 is such that the compressor piston B is reciprocated in synchronism with the speed of the engine, that is at suitable speed which is correlated with the stroke of the engine of that type with which the compressor is employed, the engine illustrated being or four cycle type andthe ratio of speed being one revolution of the compressor crank shaft 40 to two revolutions of the engine shaft l3. It will be understood that any suitable drive may be employed.

The application of the toggle is such that the highest and predominating degree of compression of the fuel mixture occurs when the engine piston starts on its power stroke. This predominating compression of fuel mixture deliv-- ered. by the compressor into the engine cylinder continues over an unusually prolonged period while the engine piston advances on its power stroke due to the pause in movement of the toggle and partly by the constricted exhaust port H.

The general operation of the engine and coopcrating compressor is substantially similar to that described in my copendin applications above referred to, the toggle functioning to deliver over a prolonged period due to a comparatively slow turn over from dead end position toward flexed position of the toggle, the first portion of which is comparatively slow and prolonged resembling a pause as compared with the latter portion. During the first portion of the compression stroke of the toggle referred to, the power piston of the engine quickly completes its power stroke. In this manner a continuous supply of compressed fuel is delivered during the pause in the movement of the compressor piston and admixed with a charge of air previously com pressed in the combustion chamber of the engine as the piston thereof advances during its power stroke. When' desired the stroke of the compressor piston B can be regulated by adjusting the manually operable lever 31. In this manner the compression by the toggle driven piston B, in coordination with the automatically compressed check valve H controls the exhaust of compressed. fuel medium discharged into the combustion chamber of the engine so that the force of combustion is applied most advanltageously at the initial starting of the power stroke and continuing thereafter for a considerable period. In this manner highly efficient results and a maximum amount of power are produced from a minimum quantity of. fuel. The adjusting feature thus provides means for initially admitting an even volume of fuel mixture into the combustion chamber while the variable stroke of the compression piston B varies the compression of the charge of mixture charge, or if desired the entire admission of fuel mixture may be checked to enable the engine to idle. In the latter operation the check valve H closes the admission orifice ll automatically. The heat of compression in the compressor cylinder allows the use of any suitable hydrocarbon fuel mixture in the engine.

It is contemplated that the compression of the check valve H may be accomplished by other means than provided automatically by the valved connection 25, Figs. 4 and 5 illustrating a manually controlled valved compressed fluid supply duct 45 by which air or other fluid under sufficient pressure can be maintained in the valve chamber 24 to cause the check valve to function in cooperation with the toggle adjustment for controlling the exhaust of fluid discharged into the combustion chamber of the engine.

While I have shown and described the application of my improved toggle actuated compressor in conjunction with an internal combustion engine of four cycle type it will be understood that my improvement is applicable to other types of engines or for compressing fluid for other purposes without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the following claims. p

I claim:

1. In a compressor having a cylinder provided with ingress and exhaust ports, a support for said cylinder, a reciprocable piston coacting with said ingress and exhaust ports to form a compression chamber of initial constant volume in said cylinder, a pair of toggle levers having one end portion pivotally connected to said piston, a variable bearing for the opposite end of said toggle levers on said support whereby a variable clearance space is provided by said piston in the compression chamber to-assist in regulating the compression of fluid by said piston, said adjustable bearing being manually operable to regulate said compression without changing the size of said admission port, and means for flexing the toggle levers to reciprocate said piston.

2. A compressor, comprising, a cylinder provided with admission and exhaust ports and a support, a reciprocable piston coacting with said admission and exhaust ports to form a compression chamber of initial constant volume in said cylinder, a pair of toggle levers having one end portion pivotally connected with said piston, a variable bearing for the opposite end of said toggle levers on said support whereby a variable clearance space is provided by said piston in the compression chamber to assist in regulating the compression of fluid by said piston, said adjustable bearing having operating means to regulate said compression without changing the effect of the admission port, and means for flexing the toggle levers to reciprocate said piston.

3. A compressor, comprising, a cylinder provided with fluid admission and exhaust ports and a support, a reciprocable piston coacting with said admission and exhaust ports to form a compression chamber in said cylinder, a pair of toggle levers flexed together and having one end portion pivotally connected with said piston, a variable bearing for the opposite end portion of said toggle levers on said support, means for regulating said variable bearing whereby a variable clearance space is provided by said piston in said compression chamber to regulate the efiective compression of fluid by said piston,means for operating said adjustable bearing to regulate said effective compression without changing the effect of said admission port, and means for operating the toggle levers, whereby said piston is reciprocated and its effective compression stroke period is increased or decreased.

SELLERS E. JESSUP. 

